Crash and Burn
by crazyanonymousfan
Summary: not good at summaries.. but the title kinda says it all


"Are you sure you still know how to ride this thing? I mean how long has it been when you last drove a motorcycle?" Kate asked Castle who is grinning sheepishly.

"It's been years, but I think I can still manage. Trust me." He said giving her a quick kiss.

She watched him sit and put on the helmet. She trusts him, but she just doesn't want anything bad to happen to them. To him. It wasn't long since she had the courage to stand for their love, a tragedy now will be too soon.

"I can drive."

"Not now." He looked at her and winked.

There's nothing she can do. He wants this. She sat behind him and then they were ready to go.

They drove steadily on the streets of New York appreciating the beautiful lights in the city at night, Kate's arms wrapped around Rick.

"I can't remember the last time I did this." Kate said loudly for Castle to hear.

"You can't. We never did this before."

She was about to argue but she thought that it would only ruin the moment. She just smiled and said, "It's beautiful."

"yeah." He agreed.

They continued driving around for a while longer and as Rick is getting used to what he's doing, he started to drive faster.

They were having fun. Laughing at things they see and making up stories about people in the sidewalk at that time of the day.

"So, can I be like motorcycle man now?" Castle asked wiggling his eyebrows even though Kate can't see it.

"Nope." She tries to contain her laugh.

"What? Why? I'm driving a motorcycle and you seemed like having a lot of fun." He asked acting a little offended.

"One, you'll always be my writer boy and two, he's nothing like you." She replied leaning her head closer to his body.

"Aww, that's really sweet."

"It is? I take it back." She pulled away a little.

Rick was about to say something when Kate added, "Just kidding."

He smiled.

Those little things she does, and her efforts to make him smile just makes him love her even more. People must know her as the bossy NYPD detective but she still have this fun-loving part of her inside. Katherine Beckett's inner child and he's loving it. Her.

They are starting their way back home when Kate notices that Castle is already driving really fast.

"Castle, slow down." She said.

He seemed like he didn't hear her.

She tried again, "Slow down, Castle."

He's still not responding.

"Castle!" She tried for the third time and still he seemed oblivious.

She figured that he's probably having fun with this 'I'm a badass and I'm driving fast' kind of thing so she stopped trying and just enjoyed watching the city as they pass by building after building.

She is slowly getting lost in her thoughts of the place when she heard Castle start to talk.

"You know I love you, right? So much." He asked.

"Castle, why would you even ask that? Yes, I know. I heard you, remember?"

He nodded. "And do you love me?"

"What are getting to? I'm confused."

"Just answer it!" He replied almost shouting.

"You're yelling."

"I'm not ye-.. sorry. Just, just answer my question." He said again now more calmly.

"Of course." She replied.

"I wanna hear you say it."

Kate gave a deep sigh, but said it anyway. "I love you. Now, can I know why you're asking this?"

"Nothing. I just want to hear you say it tonight."

Kate hugged him tighter and nestled her head to his neck. "I love you, Castle." She said again.

"C-can you take my helmet off, please? It bugs me. You can just wear it yourself." He later asked.

"Okay."

Kate slowly unstrapped the helmet from his head. She removed it and wore it on her head.

Rick turned his head towards her and she kissed his cheek.

She finds their current situation really weird. She doesn't know what's happening to him why he's acting that way. When she faced the road ahead she saw series of cars stop.

"Castle, red light. Slow down!" she exclaimed.

He didn't. Instead, Rick turned to her one more time and said one last word, "Always".

xxxxxxx

Kate woke up with a throbbing pain in her head. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she's in a white room. And there's this sick smell that fills her nose. She knows this place, in fact, she hates it. She's in a hospital.

"Castle." She exclaimed trying to sit up but she can't. The pain in her head won't let her.

Then she felt a hand hold her shoulder.

"Kate, calm down." Lanie said running her hand to Kate's hair.

"Lanie, how can I calm down? I can't even sit!" she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ssshh. Calm down." Lanie comforted.

"w-what happened?"

"I'm sorry, dear. I'm gonna have to ask your doctor first if it'll be okay to tell you. For now, get back to sleep. I know you feel tired."

Kate nodded and tries to lull herself to sleep as Lanie stood and went out to see her doctor.

Lanie spotted the doctor few meters away from the nurse's station.

"Doctor Knominski" she called out.

"Ms. Parish, everything alright.?"

'Yes. Kate's already awake."

"That's great news."

"But she can't sit. There's this severe pain in her head."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "I sent her back to sleep again."

"I'm gonna have to conduct more tests in her head. There might be concussions that we missed in the first set of tests. I'll call nurse Evry."

The doctor was about to leave when Lanie stopped her.

"Wait, one more thing."

"What is it?"

"She's asking about what happened."

The doctor stopped. She haven't thought about explaining to Kate her whole situation yet.

"Call me when she wakes up and asks again. I'll be with you to explain it."

Lanie nodded and the doctor walked away.

She was about to enter Kate's room when she saw Jim Beckett walking towards her.

"How's Katie?" he asked.

"she doesn't know yet."

When they got in the room, they saw Kate staring at them.

"I can't sleep." She said

Jim kissed her in the forehead and sat beside her bed.

"Hey, Katiebug." Her father greeted.

Lanie had just settled on the couch when nurse Evry entered the room with a wheelchair.

"Hi, Miss Beckett. I'm here to take you to a CT scan."

Kate nodded and they helped her transfer. There is still the pain in her in her head but she tried not to let them know.

She was wheeled out the room by the nurse while Jim and Lanie waited inside. They sat there in complete silence waiting for them to come back.

Few minutes later, they reentered the room.

"Doctor Knominski will be here in an hour with the results and an explanation. Don't worry, all your questions will be answered." Nurse Evry smiled to Kate who is now settled comfortably in her bed.

They nodded and she went out.

xxxxxxx

With a folder in hand, Dr. Knominski entered the room.

Her heart sank at the sight of a badly bruised Beckett and the hurting looks of her father and friend.

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Miss Beckett, I'm Dr. Angela Knominski, neurologist."

"I take it you're here to explain things." Beckett answered.

"Yes. And we'll start with what happened. What was the last thing you remember?"

"Um, that we were in the… motorcycle! And Castle gave me his helmet before we crashed into a light post. Crashed… oh, god. Where's Castle?" Kate asked in a panicked voice. She winced when she felt again the pain in her head.

The doctor took a deep breath before answering.

"Police reports showed that the motorcycle you were riding lost its brakes. Mr. Castle gave you his helmet to save your life. He knew the brakes were broken and when he saw the red light, he didn't want to damage other people so he hit a post instead."

Tears are starting to flow down Kate's cheek. She glanced at her friend and father who looked back at her like a lost puppy. "Where is he?" She asked again.

"He didn't survive."

Kate cried.

She never wanted to cry in front of people but now, she doesn't care. She doesn't care if people would think of her as weak. All she wants to is cry and cry and cry.

Her breathing became faster and heart began to palpitate. Her vision blurred and she lost consciousness.

Jim and Lanie stood immediately from their seats.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Jim asked

"I'm not sure." The doctor answered slightly lowering her head.

"What do you mean, you're not sure?" Lanie asked irritably.

"T- there was a concussion" The doctor explained. "and it caused an internal bleeding. We haven't seen it during our first test. And we saw that her brain is almost flooded on blood. That causes the extreme pain."

"Is there anything you can do?" Jim asked as he's trying to contain his own tears.

"She'll be undergoing an operation to drain the blood out but the chances of survival are 40%."

Jim sat back to his chair and sobbed. He can't do this again. Not without Kate trying to drag him away from vodkas.

"I'm sorry. I'll go and let the operating room prepared."

Lanie paced back and forth the room. Tears also streaming down her face.

Few minutes later, she heard Kate call her name.

"Lanie."

She rushed to her side.

"Thank you." Kate said, then turned to his father

"stay strong."

He nodded.

She smiled and stared at the ceiling.

"Castle, thanks for trying to save me," She whispered. "but I can never live life like before without you." she grimaced in pain but still continued speaking.

"Always." She said.

And she closed her eyes.


End file.
